After taking a gap year and going abroad to Europe, I dreaded having to come back and commit my life to college for 4 years. I saw it as the end of traveling and exploring. Little did I know how easy college makes travel, explore AND still get college credit at the same time!

College of Charleston is known for having an amazing, diverse study abroad program with many places to choose from. There are exchange programs, affiliate programs, and faculty-led programs. With exchange programs, one can pay their regular tuition at a partner university anywhere in the world and receive the same credit they would if they took those courses at home. Affiliate programs give people the option to takes classes at a foreign institute or academic center while paying a program fee. These credits have to be approved by the College upon completion. Lastly, faculty-led programs are where students go abroad with a professor from the college and take classes for credit, as well as travel around with a group and professor from home. All of these programs can be semester or summer long, it just depends on what you want.

Leaving home and delving into a new country with a different culture can be scary but there are so many benefits to going abroad. First, it teaches you to become more independent and adaptable to life. Getting out of your comfort zone always brings new opportunities and irreplaceable memories. The people I have met during my 9 months abroad are now some of my closest friends. Second, going to a new place and seeing the way they live, changes your perspective and gives you more of a sense of what you want out of life. If you're uncomfortable with certain aspects of how people do something, at least you know what you prefer. It's never a bad thing when our mindsets are challenged, sometimes it even changes your mindset.

If you're worried about the cost aspect of going abroad, don't worry. Within every college, there are special scholarships given for study abroad and FAFSA can help as well. Usually, it's not as expensive as you think, you can save housing costs by living with a host family. If you do the research, anything is possible.

Whether you want to learn microfinance in Ghana or tourism and hospitality in Venice, you can! Just go check out your college's study abroad programs, ask questions to advisors, and start packing your bags!